5/15/07

Rewriting the Bible

Our hearing today on produce safety was taped by C-SPAN, but for once we only had to use one room for a hearing that was picked up by a TV channel.

I am now spending my days preparing for the end, and a new beginning. While it sounds like Genesis and Revelations, I am just another step in the process. I mean the people at work care about me, but I'm gone this Friday, and the office needs to be as efficient as possible. The new interns will most likely be behind, so I am making sheet after sheet to update them on everything we have been doing, and also to better understand the processes we did not get right away.

One sheet I made today could be pretty controversial, and shows just how important some bureaucratic (not that I'm using it in the derogatory sense) approval can be in this government entity (or any corporation). My Bible, Catechism and Hymnal for the first couple weeks was our Staff Issue Assignment sheet. This piece of paper included the names of our staff who received mail about issues, and which issues each staffer covered. Because we are still adding staff, it would be very hard to complete an updated version (the current one is very outdated) now, but I would not want to be the next intern stuck without it. So I made one myself, but was reminded that it needed to be hidden. Should a staffer on our committee see the sheet and assume that it is official, they may be offended. Everybody wants their areas, their section of work. If the person who covers, for example, parliamentary procedure,--something not stated explicitly in our Subcommittees' jurisdictions--sees "taxes" under someone else's name, they may see this as a revocation of some of their work, or power. Therefore while this document will save everyone a lot of headaches (as mail could get put in the wrong places and calls may be sent to the wrong phone), the release of this document could also be harmful in case of a miscommunication. If all goes well, it will be saved for the interns' eyes only. If not, let's hope the staff are paying attention to my blog today.

Well, it's crazy to say, but there are simply 3 days left. I need to finish up homework now so I can play softball and pack this weekend. I will be home next Tuesday, and I'm already getting emails from aunts and uncles, who shall remain unidentified, that want me to come help me teach their social studies class (I bet that didn't narrow it down). I guess after you're out here, you're a big deal.

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